Man escapes burning house in the Lockyer Valley

A MAN and his pets made a lucky escape after a house caught fire in the Lockyer Valley.

The 73-year-old man was asleep in the home at Wesslings Rd, Ropeley when a noise awoke him to the blaze just after 10pm on Wednesday.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services arrived on scene within minutes to find the house already engulfed in flames.

Gatton fire station officer Lieutenant Mark Luther said the owner of the house was outside by the time they arrived.

"He was in his bedroom at the time with the door shut when he heard a noise and found the house full of smoke," he said.

"He went back in the room, put his shoes on and a towel over his face and walked out."

Firefighters also managed to save a dog and her five puppies that were in a kennel at the back of the house, near where the fire started.

QFES and rural brigades from Gatton, Laidley, Forest Hill, Toowoomba, Withcott and Woodlea attended the blaze which took about an hour to get under control. Crews were onsite until about 3am yesterday.

Acting officer-in-charge of Gatton police Senior Sergeant Rowland Browne said initial inquiries showed the man had been cooking on a wooden stove and left it unattended which caused the fire to start.

"It would appear the wood burner somehow started the fire which has spread to the rest of the dwelling," he said.